Permits required for Half Dome

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RichardK
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Joined: Sun Sep 30, 2007 12:33 pm

Post by RichardK »

The park service is starting a permit system for Half Dome.

Full details at: http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/hdpermits.htm

Half Dome Permits

Permits to hike to the top of Half Dome are now required on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays when the cables are up. This is an interim measure to increase safety along the cables while the park develops a long-term plan to manage use on the Half Dome Trail.

Beginning in 2010, all people using the Half Dome Trail above the subdome must have a permit in possession on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays when the cables are up. A maximum of 400 permits will be issued each of these days. (Before the permit system, fewer than 400 people used this trail on weekdays, while about 800 people used this trail on weekends and holidays, on average.)
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Yamaya
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Joined: Sun Mar 22, 2009 5:15 pm

Post by Yamaya »

Thanks for the news.

New permit system may reduce the numbrer of accidents (due to less hikers), but does not change the rate of accidents (less hikers = less accidents)...

Glad I've done that before it changed. :D
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platypii
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Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2009 4:58 am

Post by platypii »

I know this will never happen, but I say remove the cables! Problem solved!
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asabat
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Joined: Sun Nov 04, 2007 3:03 pm

Post by asabat »

Quotas in effect Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, limit 300 day hikers (available ONLY online) and 100 backpackers.

More at http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/u ... gement.pdf .
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norma r
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Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2008 4:22 pm

Post by norma r »

it's a double edged sword. you hate to see regulation put into effect on a trail, but then again i HATE to see the traffic jam photos of people on the cables. seeing those images, one knew that this regulation was inevitable.

personally i have never been stuck in a jam on the cables, but i always get up and down very early and have thankfully avoided them. starting before daybreak is the key; less people and better weather.
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Rumpled
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Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 10:57 pm

Post by Rumpled »

I've never done it and it's kinda on my list for this year.

I really have aversions to permit systems.
Especially ones like this that are "emregency" in nature. This one is already a 2 year scheduled emergency with no public input.
Since they are going to monitor and are starting at 400; I'll say no way the approved process goes above 300 a day - they just won't have data.

We'll see how it goes.
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